991 
F3LG 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

AT   LOS  ANGELES 


ROBERT  ERNEST  COWAN 


I 


x  7  fr^Z^e^ 


LINES 


WRITTEN  AFTER  READING 


MRS.  M.  B.  M.  TOLAND'S 

THRKE    POEMS,     "STELLA,"      "SIR     RAE,"     AND     "IRIS,     OR     T.HE 
ROMANCE   OF   AN    OPAL    RING." 


BY    V.    L.    F. 


MARCH,  1879. 


PRESS   OF 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  &   CO.,  PHILADELPHIA. 
1879. 


PS 

•39 


LINES. 


"  LIKE  a  beautiful  star  seemed  Stella  last  night, 
From  Heaven  she'd  floated  away, 

>:  In  her  hand  was  a  taper  she  lit  from  that  light 

«* 

OB 

Ever  shining  by  night  and  day. 

•« 

C9  * 

"  With  the  smile  of  a  seraph  her  immortal  love 
She  sent  to  her  best  earthly  friend, 

With  the  promise  that  all  the  good  angels  above 
Your  paths  in  this  life  shall  attend. 

3 

28118.3 


4  Lines. 

"  And  bid  me  send  roses  as  the  flowers  that  best 
Recall  to  your  mind  that  sweet  day, 

When  her  cold  hands  you  crossed  on  her  tawny 

breast 
As  her  soul  took  flight  from  its  clay. 

"  Then  the  tears  that  you  shed,  turn'd  to  pearls 
on  the  dead, 

So  pure  did  they  fall  from  your  eyes, 
That  the  good  angels  near  guarded  well  ev'ry  tear, 

And  took  them  with  me  to  the  skies." 

"I  humbly  implore, 
Sweet  spirit,  say  more ! 


Lines, 

Oh,  tell  of  that  beautiful  land, 

Its  pure  crystal  streams, 

By  John  seen  in  dreams, — 
Does  the  great  jasper  wall  still  stand?" 

"  Tis  not  for  the  dead," 

She  reverently  said, 
"  To  speak  of  that  city  afar, 

They  only  can  tell 

All  things  will  be  well, 
When  entering  the  gates  ajar." 

Then  quenched  was  the  flame 
She  lit  as  she  came, 


Lines. 

And  quickly  she  vanished  away, 
As  a  lesser  light 
Reveal'd  a  Scotch  knight, 

The  noble,  the  constant  Sir  Rae. 

By  him  "  coyly  stood," 

With  blue  tartan  snood 
Untied  from  her  bonnie  fair  brow, 

His  dearest  Maidee, 

Now  a  great  lady, 
Your  pen  made  so  worthy  his  vow. 

"  We  both  here  were  led," 
Sir  Rae  to  me  said, 


Lines. 

"To  ask  you  a  boon  that  is  meet: 
When  roses  you  send, 
That  with  them  you  blend 

'  The  blue  bells  of  Scotland'  so  sweet. 
i 

"  For  Scotland  we  claim 

The  name  and  the  fame 
Of  the  lady  we  love  so  well; 

She  writes  of  its  nooks, 

Its  crags,  and  its  brooks, 
Sure  near  them  she  sometimes  must  dwell. 

"  So  canny  she  brings 
The  true  Highland  rings, 


Lines. 

Our  mountains  and  bagpipes  seem  near, 

The  pibroch's  sweet  note 

Comes  from  her  fair  throat, 
Oh  list,  Maidee,  dinna  ye  hear!" 

Just  then  we  all  heard 

A  sweet  mocking-bird, 
That  whistled  so  strong  and  so  clear, 

It  startled  Sir  Rae, 

Who  hastened  away 
With  Maidee,  who  left  with  a  tear. 

"  Oh,  bird  of  the  South, 
Now  open  your  mouth, 


Lines. 

And  tell  me  how  came  ye  so  far?" 

Birds  scarcely  can  see 

To  fly  round  a  tree 
By  light  of  the  moon  or  a  star. 

But  its  little  beak 

A  word  could  not  speak, 
It  seem'd  tho'  to  whistle  and  sing: 

"  I  come  from  the  clime 

Of  the  Palm  and  Pine, 
I  have  seen  the  bright  opal  ring. 

"As  I  flew  hither 

A  glowworm's  glimmer 


IO  Lines. 

Soon  guided  my  wings  near  a  shore, 

I  paus'd  then  to  rest, 

My  head  on  my  breast, 
And  saw  Rosmer  a  boat  unmoor. 

"  '  Come  Iris,  my  bride/ 

He  lovingly  cried, 
'  My  sails,  see,  are  ready  to  fill ; 

E'er  sinks  the  moon's  crest 

We'll  sail  to  the  west, 
For  lovers  time  does  not  stand  still.' 

"  She  came  with  a  bound 
At  that  kindly  sound, 


Lines.  1 1 

And  freighted  his  boat  with  flowers, 

That  filled  the  air 

With  those  perfumes  rare 
Exhal'd  from  sweet  Southern  bowers. 

"  Again  I  took  flight, 

To  watch  with  delight 
Where  Rosmer  and  Iris  would  land ; 

'Tis  here  I  behold 

Their  spirits  unfold, 
As  close  by  your  side  they  now  stand. 

"  We  are  not  too  late 
Our  wishes  to  state," 


1 2  Lines. 

Said  Rosmer  so  modest  and  true, 
Like  the  wing'd  goddess, 
Raven-tress'd  Iris ! 

Came  swiftly  a  favor  to  sue. 

"  Oh  !  lady,  you  know 

The  South  is  not  slow 
To  take  to  her  heart  a  fair  friend, 

Whose  genius  so  bright 

Did  gracefully  write, 
Our  homes  and  our  loves  to  defend. 

"  We've  brought  her  from  groves 
Where  the  birds  repose, 


Lines.  \  3 

And  cheerily  chirp  in  the  morn, 

Magnolias  so  fair, 

No  flowers  compare 
With  their  fragrance  and  stately  form. 

"  Then  for  Iris'  sake, 

At  the  day's  first  break 
Send  her  offerings  cull'd  with  care, 

Lest  the  warm  sun's  ray 

Of  the  later  day 
Their  freshness  and  beauty  impair." 

Then  silence  profound 
Reigned  all  around, 


14  Lines. 

t 

And  suddenly  I  was  alone, 

With  so  much  to  dread 

From  spirits  just  fled, 
Their  rivalry  now  to  me  known. 

Lamenting  the  hour 

That  spirits  had  power, 
To  angels  I  offered  this  prayer: 

"Oh  come  to  my  side, 

And  quickly  decide 
These  matters  that  cause  me  despair." 

"We've  heard  your  prayer," 
So  whispered  the  air. 


Lines.  1 5 

I  felt  that  the  angels  were  near 

To  guide  me  aright; 

Altho'  not  in  sight, 
My  soul  could  but  listen  to  hear: 

"  The  pure  loves  of  earth 

Are  not  without  worth, 
But  earthly  their  gifts  have  alloy, 

In  heaven  above 

Only  souls  we  love, 
And  Stella's  we've  wept  o'er  with  joy. 

"  '  Her  gift  will  impart' 
To  the  Christian  heart 


1 6  Lines. 

Memories  to  cheer  best  her  friend, 
Who  winnowed  the  chaff, 
And  planted  the  staff, 

That  Stella  leaned  on  to  the  end. 

"  Take,  then,  roses  sweet, 

To  place  at  her  feet, 
And  that  message  of  saintly  love. 

Earth's  spirits  beware ! 

Ye  never  could  dare 
To  thwart  that  the  angels  approve." 

The  rustling  of  wings, 
Like  musical  strings, 


Lines.  \  7 

Touch'd  softly  and  soothingly  low, 

Brought  melody  near, 

My  grieved  heart  to  cheer, 
For  doubting  what  gift  to  bestow. 

Then  Sir  Rae,  farewell, 

Let  Maidee's  soft  spell 
Long  lovingly  bind  her  to  you ; 

May  the  opal  ring 

Much  happiness  bring 
To  Rosmer  and  Iris.  Adieu ! 


281183 


UNIVERSITY  of  CAUFOltWJI 

AT 

LOS  ANGELES 
LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

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This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


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PS 
991 


Tdnes  written 


F3L6 


after  reading 

Mrs. 


--Xolandls- 


M.  B.  M. 
three  poems 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A    001372132    9 


PS 

991 

F3L6 


